Improvement in folding tables



Patented Feb. 25,1879.

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GARRETT W. LOW, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,561, dated February 25, 1879; application filed November 29, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARRETT W. Low, of Erie, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of tables in which the legs fold against and parallel with the bottom of the table.

The object of my invention is to hold the table-legs in position to support the table, and also to fold the legs, by means of strutbraces, connected by hinges with the legs, and with sliding spring bars, provided with notches or shoulders and stops to hold the legs when in position.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2, except that the legs are represented as folded.

The legs I) b are connected by cross-rail b,-

which is hinged to the bottom of the table a. One end of strut brace s is hinged to the lower side of rail 1), and the other end to the sliding spring-bar c, which extends lengthwise of the bottom of the table through notches in the upper sides of leg-rails I) d and cross-bars or stops ff.

In Figs. 2 and 3 parts of stops ff are cut away to show slots w 00. The legs d 0?, crossrail 01, brace s, and sliding spring-bar c are connected 'in the same manner as legs I) b, rail 1), brace s, and sliding bar 0.

The notched sides of stops f f are fastened against the bottom of the table, forming the slots w w, in which spring-bars c 0 rest in contact with each other near their centers, and their outer ends in contact with the sides of slots w w.

The outer side of each sliding bar 0 c has two shoulders, e 0, near its ends, one of them being a slanting shoulder, c.

When the legs are in position to support the table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, they are firmly braced on the outer sides by stops f f and on the inner sides by braces s s, which are held in position by contact of shoulders e 0 with the stops f f.

When it is desired to fold the table, the outer end of each sliding spring-bar 0 and 0 should be forced toward its opposite spring bar to disengage shoulders c efroin stops f f then, by sliding the spring-bars c 0 till the slanting shoulders e e are outside of slots 00 w, the braces s s will vbe drawn to a horizontal position, and the legs I) b d d folded against the bottom of the table, as shown in Fig. 3.

There is little or no tension on spring-bars c 0 when either of the shoulders e 0 is outside of slots 00 x, and it is only when in the act of folding or unfolding the legs that both shoulders e and e are in slots 0: as, causing tension of the spring-bars c c.

The inclination of shoulders 42 e is such that, while they will not be disengaged from stops ff, by the mere weight of the legs b I) d d acting on the braces s 8, yet by simply pushing with the hand against the outer ends of spring-bars c c the inclined shoulders e 0' will be disengaged from stops f f and forced into the slots 00 w, and the table-legs unfolded at right angles to the table, as shown in Fig. 1, where they are firmly held by the tension of spring-bars c c, causing shoulders e e t engage with stops f f p 5:

Folding tables have been constructed wit legs supported and operated by means of hinged braces; but until this invention of mine none have been made in which the hinged braces were connected with sliding spring bars. Such braces have heretofore been connected attheir upper ends with grooves on the under side of the table -top, in which they slide to fold and unfold the legs, the braces being held, when in position. to support the-legs, by means of spring bolts or stops.

I claim as my invention- 1. A folding table having the hinged strutbrace s, in combination with the folding legs, the long sliding spring-bar c, and stop f, with which it engages by the springing of the bar, substantially as described.

2. The sliding bars 0 0, provided with shoulder 6 and slanting shoulder c, in combination with stops ff and strut-braces s s, hinged to the sliding bars and folding legs, substantially as described.

GARRETT W. LOW. Witnesses:

FRANK GUNNISON, MILO (J. PELToN. 

